CARRBORO, NC – Affordable housing activists marched in a rally organized by The Community Empowerment Fund or CEF of Orange County on Sunday to call awareness to lacking housing options for people with low, fixed, or no income.
The demonstrators gathered at the Weaver Street Market and made the mile-long walk to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools building along Carrboro’s West Main Street.
“Housing is a human right,” the group chanted while carrying signs that read, “House us now!”
Once at the school district building, the group heard from speakers including formerly homeless members of the community and Damon Seils, the mayor of Carrboro.
“They’re saying ‘don’t grow.’ If we don’t grow, then we have nowhere to live. So we need to hear your voices at the policy making table; we need you helping us make those decisions so we can support each other,” Mayor Seils said.
The rally also featured free meals, haircuts, and a DJ for participants to enjoy following the march.
Yvette Matthews is an organizer with CEF, who hosted the event. She raised criticisms regarding the types of housing developed in Orange County.
“Chapel Hill is not building for our specific population. They’re building continuously, but the rents are already too high,” Matthews said.
Zillow’s home-value index shows that the average value of a home in Orange County has increased by more than 20 percent in the past year.
Matthews feels that the locals who earn minimum wage should be able to afford housing in Orange county.
“It takes over, what, 20-something dollars now to even afford a one bedroom apartment. You know what I’m saying? How are you gonna do that on $7.50?” Matthews said.
Finally, Matthews calls on the local government to consider housing needs for the local, non-student population.
“We are the population that’s going to be here. The students, they rotate out every four years, but we’re still going to be here. So why shouldn’t we be able to live here?” Matthews said.